This invention relates to hand grips for use in performing push-ups, and in particular to such hand grips where the user's hands can be rotated about either horizontal or vertical axes while performing the push-ups.
Hand grips for use in performing push-ups are well known in the prior art since they prevent the user's hands from slipping on the supporting surface and, in addition, allow the user to perform push-ups with a straight wrists rather than with his or her wrists being bent 90 degrees. Thus the wrists do not become as fatigued or subject to injury. Typical of such devices is Rozenblad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,525.
However, in certain athletic activities, such as pitching a curveball or placing spin on a tennis ball, it is necessary for the user to rotate his or her arm simultaneously with contraction or extension of the large arm muscles. While doing push-ups with the prior art hand grips allows the user to strengthen the large arm muscles, since the grips are immovable relative to the ground, it is not possible to rotate the arms about a vertical axis while doing the push-ups and thereby better condition the arms for use of this type. Further, due to this immovability, the user cannot rotate his or her hands about a horizontal axis to achieve more comfortable positions on the hand grips without loosening his or her grip on them.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing shortcomings and limitations of the prior art hand grips by providing a hand grip having an elongate cylindrical handle which is arranged to be gripped by the hand of the user. The handle is mounted in a clevis in a manner to be rotatable about a horizontal axis. Thus it is possible for the user to position his or her hand while doing push-ups in order to maintain the wrist in the most comfortable position. The clevis, in turn, is mounted on a base which supports the device in a manner to be rotatable about a vertical axis. Thus, the user can rotate his or her arm while performing push-ups in order to simulate the action which occurs when the arm is being used in the aforementioned manner.
The base is made from a high friction material which prevents it from sliding on the supporting surface when it is carrying the weight of the user.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a hand grip for performing push-ups having a handle which is rotatable about a horizontal axis for positioning the user's hand in a position which is comfortable for his or her wrist.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a hand grip which also is rotatable about a vertical axis in order that the user can rotate his or her arm while performing the push-ups.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a device which is not readily movable on its supporting surface when in use.
The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will more readily be understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.